'i'm Here To Address Anything' - Townsend Responds To Critics

Autumn Series Test: Scotland v Tonga

Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh Date: Sunday, 23 November Kick-off: 13:40 GMT

Coverage: Listen connected BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, perceive connected nan BBC Sport website and app

Gregor Townsend walked successful nan room pinch a warmth that contrasted pinch nan frostiness successful beforehand of him. Outside nan walls of nan question and reply room astatine Oriam successful Edinburgh nan crystal was mounting in. Inside, it was a touch chilly too.

"I'm present to reside anything," said nan Scotland caput coach astatine 1 point, which, arsenic it turned out, didn't see overmuch astir Tonga connected Sunday, his team's last force of a four-Test autumn that's been dominated by a monolithic missed opportunity against nan susceptible New Zealand and a hopeless implosion, from 21-0 up, against Argentina. Tonga, frankly, took a backmost seat.

Townsend has mislaid 2 large games this autumn, he has won 2 games retired of 5 successful 3 of nan past 4 Six Nations and has been emptied from back-to-back World Cups astatine nan excavation stage, scoring 3 points against nan Springboks successful nan 2023 tourney that culminated successful a nonaccomplishment to Ireland erstwhile their opponents raced into 36-0 lead.

There's been a number of large wins, but not nan benignant of advancement that has made Scotland contenders to triumph anything. Despite having a bully squad, there's only been fleeting periods successful 8 years erstwhile it felt for illustration Scotland were going places.

There was booing astatine Murrayfield connected Sunday, a immense rarity. So, aft much than 8 years successful nan occupation has nan clip now travel to judge that he's been location for agelong enough?

"That's your opinion," he replied. Townsend was measured and polite, arsenic ever, but nan questions were basking and heavy. It was tense successful that room.

"I've seen nan squad play nan champion rugby it's played successful nan 8 years complete nan past 2 aliases 3 weeks," he argued. "Now, we're very disappointed we didn't get a triumph against New Zealand and Argentina.

"We created capable against New Zealand and we were 21-0 up against Argentina. To get successful those positions, to beryllium 21-0 up, nan squad is delivering up to that point."

'Up to that point' being nan cardinal caveat. Games don't past arsenic agelong arsenic Scotland want them to, sadly. They don't extremity aft a razor-sharp opening spell against nan Pumas aliases erstwhile Scotland person clawed backmost a horrendous commencement to make it 17-17 against nan All Blacks.

Did he get nan connection from nan location crowd erstwhile they booed connected full-time?

"Yeah, we sensed nan disappointment successful nan crowd, it was for illustration an exhale of disappointment," he said.

That's a caller measurement of putting it. No, it was decidedly booing.

"We each felt it and nobody's hurting arsenic overmuch arsenic america arsenic a group," Townsend said. "But sometimes, successful those existent achy moments arsenic a group that you unrecorded through, you travel done stronger."

Townsend said his determination to thrust connected successful nan occupation is undiminished. "Yes, moreover much so," he answered erstwhile asked if he had nan tummy for nan conflict contempt each nan kicks successful teeth.

"Maybe you don't judge me, but this week it was really important. I felt thing different successful our reappraisal astir nan measurement nan players came together pinch nan coaches. It's painful. Sunday nighttime was painful.

"Going done that past 20 minutes connected Monday is painful, but nan failures and really you respond to them make you nan squad you tin be. I've been really encouraged connected really that's played retired done this week.

"It's been a large week of meetings, honesty, a existent heavy dive connected really we could beryllium amended successful that last 20-25 minutes (against nan Pumas erstwhile they capitulated and mislaid a crippled they had done truthful overmuch early connected to win).

"But I do judge we've seen nan champion of nan players passim this campaign, up until nan past 25 minutes. The New Zealand performance, to beryllium 21-0 up against Argentina and beryllium connected nan effort statement successful nan 53rd infinitesimal to spell further up - that's astir apt arsenic overmuch arsenic we tin expect from nan team, up until that point."

It was a revisiting of an earlier taxable - Scotland tin beryllium outstanding for pockets of games but excessively often they don't person nan intelligence spot to spot these games through. They person shown psychological weakness galore times successful caller years and it's each getting tiresome to astatine slightest a conception of those watching. Most probably, a ample conception and increasing each nan while.

This squad routinely has meltdowns, it was put to him. "I would disagree," he replied. "I wouldn't opportunity routinely. The past 20 minutes wasn't bully enough, but nan capacity levels person been astatine a precocious level now complete nan past fewer weeks.

"In position of performances, I'm seeing capable retired of this squad to backmost up what I said 3 aliases 4 weeks ago."

Three aliases 4 weeks ago, erstwhile talking to BBC Scotland, Townsend said his squad was successful nan champion spot it has ever been successful connected his watch. In position of Test experience, subordinate extent chart, nan powerfulness game, players winning things pinch their clubs and nan immense number of Scots who saw crippled clip pinch nan British and Irish Lions successful Australia successful nan summer, nan early had been not arsenic agleam successful his 8 years, he argued.

And he still believes it, contempt defeats and nan booing and nan clear signs that erstwhile nan chips are down successful games Scotland tighten up and go correction prone and easy meat. Haven't nan fans seen enough?

"Look, I disagree pinch that," he said. "The supporters are coming retired successful immense numbers. We've really had a spike aft nan crippled astatine nan play and I don't deliberation they were each from Tonga buying tickets."

A spike for Tonga? If that's true, it's a funny consequence to a soul-destroying conclusion by Argentina. Scottish rugby fans really must beryllium gluttons for punishment.

"It's awesome to cognize that nan ambiance that was created successful nan New Zealand crippled and nan ambiance erstwhile Argentina scored and Flower of Scotland was ringing retired - nan supporters are down nan team," Townsend explained. "They're very disappointed that we didn't win, for illustration we are.

"We person nary correct to hit each squad successful nan world… but we judge we can. Our supporters and our players tin expect, pinch what we person here, that we tin return connected nan champion teams successful nan world."

Scotland tin return connected nan champion successful nan world for passages of games for sure, but their triumph grounds against teams sitting supra them successful nan rankings has been dismal for an age. They are presently ninth successful nan world having been 5th conscionable earlier nan commencement of nan past World Cup. They are falling distant successful position of winning games (as opposed to Townsend's mantra of being competitive).

How does he explicate nan drop-offs, nan moments successful clip that saw New Zealand and Argentina win, nan passages successful caller seasons that saw Italy roaring backmost from a large shortage and beating Scotland and that saw Wales, successful 2024 and 2025, scare nan life retired of Townsend's squad contempt being miles down connected nan scoreboard?

"That's rugby, that's sport," is his response. "Look astatine New Zealand. During 20-30 minutes against america they didn't hardly touch nan ball. Argentina were 21-0 down.

"So that happens to nan champion teams. What we request to do is erstwhile that momentum does commencement to spell successful nan favour of nan opposition, we person to find ways to get it back."

How agelong tin he support banging that drum, though? Yes, New Zealand were out-played by Scotland for a agelong and, yes again, Argentina were routed early on. Both of them still won, which is really each that matters. That winning mentality still eludes Scotland contempt each nan years Townsend has had to instil it. There's still a softness that's ruinous.

Is he expecting a reappraisal of his ain capacity astatine nan extremity of nan autumn? "I don't know," he said. "We reappraisal each campaign, but you'd person to inquire personification other connected that."

Questions person been asked, but there's been nary answers from Murrayfield arsenic yet, conscionable arsenic location is small motion that Scotland are anyplace person to becoming nan benignant of ruthless squad they request to be. Townsend thinks otherwise. It's a grim impasse.